Earwax blockage – Diagnosis & treatment

Diagnosis

Your health care provider can see if you have earwax blockage by looking in your ear. Your provider uses a special tool that lights and magnifies your inner ear (otoscope) to look in your ear.

Treatment

Your health care provider can remove excess wax by using a small, curved tool called a curet or by using suction techniques. Your provider can also flush out the wax using a syringe filled with warm water and saline or diluted hydrogen peroxide. Medicated ear drops may also be recommended to help soften the wax, such as carbamide peroxide (Debrox Earwax Removal Kit, Murine Ear Wax Removal System). Because these drops can irritate the delicate skin of the eardrum and ear canal, use them only as directed.

Earwax removal by a health care provider

When too much wax builds up in the ear, it can be removed by a health care provider using a small, curved tool called a curet.

If earwax buildup continues, you may need to visit your health care provider once or twice a year for regular cleaning. Your health care provider may also recommend that you use earwax-softening agents such as saline, mineral oil or olive oil. This helps loosen the wax so that it can leave the ear more easily.

Self care

You can get many ear cleaning home remedies over the counter. But most of these treatments — such as irrigation or ear vacuum kits — aren’t well studied. This means they may not work and may be dangerous.

The safest way to clean your ears if you have excess wax is to see your health care provider. If you’re prone to earwax blockage, your health care provider can show you safe ways to reduce wax buildup at home, such as using ear drops or other earwax-softening agents. People shouldn’t use ear drops if they have an ear infection unless it’s recommended by a health care provider.

Don’t try to dig it out

Never attempt to dig out excessive or hardened earwax with available items, such as a paper clip, a cotton swab or a hairpin. You may push the wax farther into your ear and cause serious damage to the lining of your ear canal or eardrum.

Alternative medicine

Some people try to remove earwax themselves using a technique called ear candling (ear coning). Ear candling involves lighting one end of a hollow, cone-shaped candle and placing the other unlit end into the ear. The idea is that the heat from the flame will create a vacuum seal that draws wax up and out of the ear.

However, ear candling isn’t a recommended treatment for earwax blockage. Research has found that ear candling doesn’t work. It may also burn or damage the ear.

Essential oils — such as tea tree oil or garlic oil — are also not a proven treatment for earwax blockage. There is no data that shows they are safe for earwax removal, or that they work.

Talk to your health care provider before trying any alternative remedies for removing earwax.

Preparing for your appointment

You’re likely to start by seeing your health care provider. In some rare cases, however, you may be referred to a provider with special training in ear disorders (ear, nose and throat specialist).

As you prepare for your appointment, it’s a good idea to write a list of questions. Your health care provider may have questions for you as well, such as:

• How long have you been having symptoms, such as earache or hearing loss?
• Have you had any drainage from your ears?
• Have you had earache, trouble hearing or drainage in the past?
• Do your symptoms happen all the time or only sometimes?

Impacted Earwax | Cedars-Sinai

ABOUT

CAUSES
DIAGNOSIS

TREATMENT

NEXT STEPS

What is impacted earwax?

Earwax is a waxy, yellowish
substance that lines the inside of your ear canal. The ear canal is the tube that
runs
from your outer ear to your eardrum. The wax helps protect your canal from water,
infection, injury, and foreign objects. But too much wax buildup can cause problems.
This buildup is called impacted earwax.

Special glands in your ear make secretions that combine with dead skin cells to form
earwax. The earwax travels with slowly growing cells of your skin. Over time, the
earwax moves from the inner part of your ear canal to the entrance of the canal. Jaw
movement also helps the earwax move through the canal.

Some things can cause problems with this normal process. Any type of blockage in the
canal can cause a problem. Some people also may make too much earwax. This causes
it to build up in the ear canal. The earwax may not totally block your ear canal.
Most people have just a little buildup of earwax, which doesn’t cause any symptoms
at all.

Impacted earwax is very common. As
you get older, earwax tends to become harder and less mobile. Older adults are more
likely to have problems with too much earwax. It can cause symptoms such hearing loss.
It can also prevent a full exam of the ear.

What causes impacted earwax?

Earwax buildup happens when your
ear makes earwax faster than your body can remove it. This can happen with many health
conditions, such as:

• Bony blockage (osteoma or
  exostoses)
• Infectious disease, such as swimmer’s
  ear (external otitis)
• Skin disease (such as eczema)
• Autoimmune disease (such as
  lupus)
• Narrowed ear canal (from birth,
  chronic inflammation, or injury)
• Making too much earwax due to
  injury

Some of these conditions cause a
physical blockage. Others cause more earwax to be made. In some cases, the cause of
impacted earwax isn’t known.

Objects placed in your ear can also lead to impacted earwax, especially if done repeatedly.
This is more likely in children and young people who have no other problems with their
ear canals. For example, if you use cotton swabs to remove earwax, you may push the
wax deeper into your canal. Over time, this may cause complete blockage. Hearing aids,
swimming plugs, and swim molds can have a similar effect with repeated use.

Who is at risk for impacted earwax?

You may be at increased risk if you
have a health condition that can cause increased earwax buildup, such as eczema. You
may
also increase your risk if you keep putting objects in your ear, such as a hearing
aid.
Older adults and people with thinking (cognitive) problems also have an increased
risk.

What are the symptoms of impacted earwax?

Earwax often doesn’t cause any
symptoms, unless it builds up a lot. These are the most common symptoms of impacted
earwax:

• Hearing loss
• Earache
• Sense of ear fullness
• Itching in the ear
• Dizziness
• Ringing in the ears
• Cough

You might have only 1 or 2 of these symptoms. They often happen slowly.

The symptoms of impacted earwax may
seem like other health conditions or problems. Always see your healthcare provider
for
more information.

How is impacted earwax diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider can
diagnose impacted earwax by taking your health history and giving you a physical exam.
This might include some simple hearing tests. Your provider should easily see the
wax
when looking at your ear through a device called an otoscope.

Your provider might diagnose you
with impacted earwax even if you don’t have any symptoms. For example, you might need
an
ear exam for another reason. If you have so much earwax that your provider can’t see
into your ear canal, they might diagnose you with impacted earwax.

How is impacted earwax treated?

Treatment will depend on your symptoms, age, and general health. It
will also depend on how severe the condition is.

If you have symptoms of impacted
earwax, your provider will likely advise some kind of treatment. If you don’t have
any
symptoms, your provider likely won’t advise treatment, unless you need an ear exam
for
other reasons. Often the earwax goes away on its own with time. In rare cases, removing
earwax can cause problems. Providers may advise removal for people who can’t talk
about
their symptoms, such as young children.

Treatment options include:

• Medicines dropped into the ear canal,
  to soften the earwax and slowly break it down
• Irrigation of the ear canal with water
  in your provider’s office
• Manual removal, using special tools in
  your provider’s office

Your healthcare provider might
advise 1 of these options, partly based on your other health conditions. You might
need
a combination of these methods for the best removal.

Providers don’t advise using other
home methods of earwax removal (such as ear candling and ear vacuum kits). Studies
have
shown these methods don’t work well.

What are possible complications of impacted earwax?

Impacted earwax itself doesn’t
often cause problems. But in rare cases, some treatments for earwax removal cause
the
following complications:

• Swimmer’s ear (otitis external)
• Earache
• Short-term (temporary) hearing loss
• Dizziness
• Retention of water in the canal
• Eardrum hole (perforation)
• Ringing in the ears
• Bleeding from the ear

Different removal methods have
different risks for these complications. Your own risk depends on your other health
conditions. For instance, people with diabetes may have a greater risk for swimmer’s
ear. Talk with your healthcare provider about the risks that most apply to you.

Can impacted earwax be prevented?

You may not be able to prevent
impacted earwax if you have certain health conditions that make it more likely to
have
earwax buildup, such as eczema. But if you don’t have these types of health conditions,
you might be able to prevent repeated episodes. Using a topical agent once a week
may
help. You may also need to plan for a regular ear cleaning every 6 months or so.
Healthcare providers advise not using cotton swabs. They often push the earwax farther
back down your ear canal.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Call your healthcare provider if
you have severe symptoms after your earwax removal, such as bleeding from your ears
or
major ear pain.

Key points about impacted earwax

• Earwax is a normal substance that
  helps protect the inside of your ear canal.
• When too much earwax builds up (gets
  impacted), it can cause symptoms such as temporary hearing loss.
• It is more common in older
  adults.
• Certain health conditions make it more
  likely to have impacted earwax.
• You might need special drops to help
  remove your earwax. Or you might need an office procedure to remove it. Never try
  to
  remove your own earwax manually.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:

• Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.
• Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
• Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells
  you.
• At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments,
  or tests. Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you.
• Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. Also
  know what the side effects are.
• Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.
• Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.
• Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.
• If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that
  visit.
• Know how you can contact your provider
  if you have questions.

Medical Reviewer: Ashutosh Kacker MD

Medical Reviewer: Marianne Fraser MSN RN

Medical Reviewer: Daphne Pierce-Smith RN MSN

© 2000-2022 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional’s instructions.

Earwax plug: symptoms, complications, diagnosis, treatment

The human hearing organ is designed in such a way that earwax accumulates in the auditory canal, which protects the hearing organ from damage and pollution. It needs to be removed periodically. If this does not happen, then the accumulation of sulfur thickens and a sulfuric plug is formed, which causes a number of unacceptable symptoms: hearing loss, congestion, noise, ringing in the ears, etc. In this case, you need to make an appointment with an otolaryngologist and remove the obstacle that has arisen.

Symptoms

Causes

Complications

Increased accumulation of sulfur at the initial stage does not bother the patient. Difficulties arise when the clot hardens and blocks the ear canal. Unpleasant symptoms appear:

• Hearing loss;
• Noise and ringing in the ears;
• Echo in the head when sounding one’s own voice;
• Cough, sore throat
• Dizziness headaches.

Wax plug is commonly believed to be caused by neglect of personal hygiene, but this is far from the only reason. Increased formation of sulfur in the ear can be caused by the following reasons.

• Increased secretory activity of the glands, so too much sulfur is formed in the auricles.
• Dermatological diseases – eczema, dermatitis, fungal infection.
• Frequent and traumatic cleaning of the auditory canal.
• The presence of a foreign body or thick hair in the ear canal.
• Working in a very dusty environment.
• The presence of anomalies in the development of the auditory canal.
• Wearing headphones or a hearing aid at all times.
• Neoplasms in the auditory canal.

Sulfur buildup may swell and expand to form a sulfur plug when swimming or submerged.

If the cork is not removed for a long time, then pain appears, against this background, inflammation of the ear or eardrum may occur.

Diagnosis of pathology

An otolaryngologist identifies the presence and location of a cerumen plug during an ear examination using otoscopy. Then, using a probe, the doctor will determine the consistency of the cork and, depending on this, choose the method of removal. The doctor also examines the eardrum, and also detects the presence of foreign bodies, tumors, cholesteatoma in the auditory canal.

Removing the wax plug at the Gaide Clinic

It is strictly forbidden to remove the wax plug yourself. Manipulations at home can lead to trauma to the eardrum, the development of inflammation or injury to the auditory canal.

If the cork is soft or plasticine-like, it is most often removed by rinsing. This method does not apply if there is damage to the eardrum. Before removing the hard cork, it is pre-softened. For several days, warm hydrogen peroxide is instilled into the ear. After that, the cork is washed out.

Special ENT instruments are used for dry cork removal: ear hook, ear forceps and ear spoon. After removing the dense cork, a turunda with an aseptic solution is introduced into the auricle.

You can quickly and painlessly remove the cerumen plug at Gaide Medical Centers. If you have ear congestion and suspect a cerumen plug, do not delay a visit to the doctor. The clinic employs experienced specialists who will carry out the manipulation as accurately and safely as possible.

Earwax – problems and solutions. User Support

Earwax is essential for the human body. The composition of earwax includes the secrets of the glands of the skin of the external auditory canal: sulfuric and sebaceous, desquamated cells of the upper layer of the skin, sweat, as well as fats, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol, antibacterial substances (lysozyme, immunoglobulins).

Earwax may appear as a thick, dark brown mass or be light, dry, and flaky. On average, a healthy adult produces up to 20 mg of earwax every month. The consistency and amount of earwax depends on the physiological characteristics of the organism. If there is not enough earwax in the ear canal, a feeling of dryness and itching may occur.

Earwax in sufficient quantity performs several important functions:

• Prevents the penetration of dust, bacteria and other microorganisms into the deep parts of the ear canal
• Traps dust particles
• Slows down the growth of fungi and bacteria
• Brings out the dead cells of the upper layer of the skin of the ear canal
• Protects the skin of the ear canal from water irritation
• Prevents dehydration of the skin of the external auditory canal and the associated feeling of itching
• Maintains normal acid-base balance

The ear canal must have a sufficient amount of earwax; its excesses normally move outward and are removed due to the physiological process of migration of the epithelial cells of the upper layer of the skin of the ear canal towards the auricle and movements of the ear canal during chewing and talking.
Thus, the ear canal is self-cleaning from excess earwax.

Normally, no auxiliary actions to remove wax, the so-called cleaning of the ear canals, are required.

Wax plug and how to get rid of it

Some people, as a feature of individual physiology, have excessive formation of earwax. In combination with the anatomical features of the external auditory canal (narrow and tortuous), this can lead to the formation of cerumen. The reason for the occurrence of wax plug can also be a vicious habit of “cleaning” the ears with cotton swabs, which does not lead to the removal of sulfur, but to its pushing deep into the ear canal.

Features that contribute to the formation of wax plugs also include:

Wax plug is a complete blockage of the lumen of the external auditory canal with sulfur, which leads to a significant hearing loss and may be accompanied by inflammation and pain.